In 2017, fitness club
identity theft was considered the top 10 most common identity theft
complaints in the U.S. There were 4,152 specific complaints, a 43% increase
compared to 2016.

According to
statistics in the Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2017 compiled by the Federal Trade
Commission, identity theft accounted for 13.7% or 371,000 of the 2.7 million
consumer reports about marketplace problems received by different government
agencies.

During a member
sign-up, we usually collect and store a lot of personal data.

7
Risks of Identity Theft in the Auto Industry

Messy Desk

Leaving confidential
papers out on a desk or counter makes it easily accessible for anyone to simply
steal the information - increasing the risk of a data breach.

Solution: A CLEAN DESK POLICY directs
everyone to keep their workplace tidy and to be aware of confidential data they
handle. Lock important documents inside a desk or file cabinet. Or at the end of every transaction, the
contract and sales receipt should be placed in a locked drop box. Remember a drop box is only as good as it’s
lock. So, it is a good idea to spend the
money on a decent drop box safe which costs under $200.00 USD on sites such as eBay
or Amazon.

Visual Hacking

Visual Hacking is when
someone discreetly uses a smartphone to take a screenshot of confidential
information or memorizes what they see. This can happen in an office when a
salesperson wanders away from their desk.

Solution: Provide privacy filters for desktop monitors,
laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Do not save passwords, etc., on Post-it
notes. Depending on the size your fitness center, your computers should
all automatically shut off after not being used or most centers are moving to
tablet based system to avoid issues like this all together. At the end of the transaction the only paper
that is moved is the one that comes out of a wireless printer that should sit
on a desk close to the member. This way
the member can grab their documents and your salesperson no longer even should
have access to their information.

Risky Workspace Layout

Where are the photocopying
/ garbage / recycling located in the fitness center? These are typical areas
where confidential papers can be left behind.
And one of the first places criminals look for information. A higher end shredder should be in a specific
area and the information should immediately be shredded. On Amazon Basics, for $150 – you can purchase
a shredder with a one-year warranty that will take up to twenty pages at a time
and turn them into confetti. The old school
shredders should immediately be replaced.
They are a false sense of security.
If you are not turning personal information into confetti at this time
you are risking everything.

Solution: Photocopiers should be in an employee-only
area, and open paper recycling bins should be replaced by locked consoles. An employee-only area should have an inexpensive
electronic magnet that logs people in and out.

DIY Shredding

Although Shredding
companies will make you think you need them – you do not. You just need a hi-end shredder. And as mentioned previously for about $150.00
you can purchase an Amazon Basics shredder that turns up to 20 pages of paper
into confetti. The shredder will work
for 30 minutes until it needs to cool down for 4 hours. The next step up is about $500.00 which will
do the same job a “secure shredding company” will do but without the excessive
cost AND if you look at You Tube; any shredding company has many weaknesses.

Do not think that
partnering with an outside shredding service that uses industrial grade
cross-cut shredding equipment is any better then just buying a commercial
shredder and doing it yourself. Plus,
their claims of “chain of custody” have been proven completely inaccurate.

Online Phishing Scams

Phishing
scams try to trick the end user into logging into a fraudulent system (or
download malware.)